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Subject:RE: How did you get started in tech writing? From:Melissa Nelson <melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com> To:Techwr-l <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:16:39 -0400
I used to write a volunteer newsletter on women's health issues for the local hospital when I was married and volunteering at the hospital. I later divorced and went to work as a nursing assistant. I knew I basically HAD to go back and finish the last two years of a degree, as one can't make a living as a nursing assistant. I had no idea what I wanted to do, I knew I loved writing and I did not want to go on to be a nurse.
While trying to figure out what I wanted to do, I started dating a Chemistry professor at Michigan Tech, which was about 100 miles from where I was living, so I would have to go up on weekends etc. One Friday while wandering around on campus I discovered their Scientific and Technical Communications program and realized that was for me. I loved doing the newsletter all those years and never realized I could get paid for writing that type of information. I broke up with the Chemistry professor, but attended MTU and went on to the University of Toronto for my Masters (in a totally unrelated field) moved to Baltimore and took a part time receptionist job while I worked on my thesis; while I was there the tech writer quit, and I volunteered to do some writing while they looked for a new, more experienced one. They hired her but they liked my writing so well, that they hired me too! The rest as they say is history, but it all boils down to a short lived relationship with a Chemistry professor, while we did not have much chemistry, technical writing and I did!
Melissa
> Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:10:14 -0500> From: john -dot- cook -at- gmail -dot- com> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Subject: Re: How did you get started in tech writing?> > I lost my job as a desk clerk, created a resume' that was at least half> chutzpah, posted the resume' on Monster, got a six month contract> opportunity, and beat out a writer who'd just graduated with a full four> year degree. That was eight years ago. Thanks to a cooperative writing> team, fellow writers who gave me a chance and never tired of answering> questions, online mentors from here and the HATT and the HATT-OT, a little> natural aptitude, a /lot/ of hard work, and some simple providence. In no> particular order, thanks to David, Char, Ron, Mary, Bill, Bob, Dana, Renata,> Kathy, Beth, Chuck, Paula, Ezriel, Cara, Sean, Sue, Susan, Nancy, Katie,> Katie, Wade, Kurt, Chuck, Tom the Art Dude, and (last but not least) //w. I> know I'm forgetting people but I do appreciate everyone who has helped me> develop my career.> > On Fri, Aug 15, 2008 at 6:00 PM, Nancy Allison <maker -at- verizon -dot- net> wrote:> > > In the Fallback or Sellout thread (or whatever it was called) Karen> > wrote:> >> > > I was actually wondering if I was going to read other's responses as> > > to how they started in this profession.> >> > What a great question. I wonder if we can get a thread going on it.> > Karen's answer was in her post.> >> > My answer, briefly, is this: I got a Master's degree in Teaching English> > as a Second Language, only to find that it was impossible to make a> > living at it, at least in Boston. I wound up doing more temporary office> > work than teaching. And I HATED secretarial work.> >> > And, when I did teach, I discovered that I liked writing my teaching> > materials more than I liked being at the head of the room. When someone> > said, "You might try technical writing," I gave it a shot.> >> > What's your story?> >> > --Nancy> >> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> >> > ComponentOne Doc-To-Help gives you everything you need to author and> > publish quality Help, Web, and print content. Perfect for technical> > authors, developers, and policy writers. Download a FREE trial.> > http://www.componentone.com/DocToHelp/> >> > True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.> > Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical> > documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com> >> > ---> > You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as john -dot- cook -at- gmail -dot- com -dot- > >> > To unsubscribe send a blank email to> > techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> > or visit> > http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/john.cook%40gmail.com> >> >> > To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> >> > Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit> > http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.> >> >> > > -- > John Cook> Technical Writer / Help Author> john dot cook at gmail dot com> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> > ComponentOne Doc-To-Help gives you everything you need to author and > publish quality Help, Web, and print content. Perfect for technical > authors, developers, and policy writers. Download a FREE trial.> http://www.componentone.com/DocToHelp/> > True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com> > ---> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com -dot- > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/melmis36%40hotmail.com> > > To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> > Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit> http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.>
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ComponentOne Doc-To-Help gives you everything you need to author and
publish quality Help, Web, and print content. Perfect for technical
authors, developers, and policy writers. Download a FREE trial. http://www.componentone.com/DocToHelp/
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
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